Tuesday, February 22, 2011

One of the things I enjoy playing as far as concepts go are magistrates and legionaries. While I don't get to play them as often as I like a fair number of concepts and important NPC's I design for games comes from those professions.

The magistrate is one of the more common themes to play with. It makes it easier to get multi clan parties to work together. Which brings us to today's preview. Law and Order in Rokugan were for the most part created by the Crane and the Scorpion. While the Crane take the vast majority of the credit one shouldn't forget the Scorpion's role in setting up the current legal system.

For years Scorpion players had been hoping to get a magistrate school to honor the contributions of Soshi Saibankan. A strong magistrate theme in the CCG also helped push this desire along. And now with 4th Edition it's finally here.

Soshi Magistrate [Bushi]The Soshi magistrate school is descended from a set of techniques taught to the yoriki of Soshi Saibankan during his many years as a judge, and some rumors claim the first three techniques were invented by Saibankan himself. Whether this is true or not, the school remains the principle method the Scorpion use to educate those who must maintain order within their lands―magistrates, yoriki, city guards, and border patrols. Like many such schools, the Soshi Magistrate school teaches a mixture of armed and hand-to-hand techniques, allowing its students to suppress brawls and defeatlethal bandits with equal skill.

Rank One: The Face of JusticeThe Soshi Magistrates are trained to control their environment through a mixture of fear and force, intimidating even the most violent street gang with ease. You gain a +1k0 bonus to the Intimidation skill; when you use it against someone of lower Status Rank than yourself, the bonus is +2k0 instead. You also gain a +1k0 damage bonus with melee attacks.

Sample NPC:

Bayushi Kenzo – Imperial Legionnaire

Kenzo has risen swiftly through the ranks of the Imperial Legions. Many with in the Imperial bureaucracy feel it is only a matter of time before he is given command of his own legion. Kenzo grew up in Ryoko Owari and comes from a long line of Scorpion who served their clans as magistrates. As a youth he swiftly picked up the fine art of dueling, and a reputation for engaging in illegal duels.

As an officer in the Imperial Legions Kenzo has proven himself to be a capable if not unorthodox leader. His tactics are some what questionable by the standards of most of his contemporary officers but that's to be expected from a Scorpion.

While many attribute Kenzo's rise in the Imperial Legions to be typical Scorpion political maneuverings the real reason is far more simpler and far less sinister. Shortly after his gemmpuku Kenzo was on assignment in Lion lands where he became reacquainted with an old child hood friend, Ikoma Kotone. The two swiftly rekindled their friendship which developed into love. Kenzo was sent back to Scorpion lands but made Kotone a promise. He would do everything in his power to gain enough prestige to arrange for their marriage.

Kenzo's current command duties have placed him in charge of legion investigations. It is his job to oversee the investigation of crimes committed against the Imperial Legions. Or crimes committed by imperial legionaries.